Halloumi and Tomato Manakish
Soft, chewy flatbreads topped with salty grated halloumi, juicy diced tomato and fresh mint, baked until the cheese is freckled gold. A Cypriot-Lebanese mash-up that works for breakfast, lunch or a mezze spread.
- Prep
- 47 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 29 min
- Makes
- 8 manakish, about 6 inches (15 cm) each
Steps
Before you start
- Plan on about 2½ hours start to finish, most of it hands-off rising and resting time.
- Halloumi is very salty, so the topping has almost no added salt. Taste your halloumi first and adjust only the dough.
- Take the halloumi out of the fridge when you start the dough so it grates easily and isn't ice cold.
- Position two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven before you preheat.
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar and 1½ tsp fine salt.
- Add the warm water and 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon, then your hand, until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
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Ready when: No dry flour is left and the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass.
Tip: If the water feels hot rather than warm, let it cool first; very hot water can kill the yeast.
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, pushing it away with the heel of your hand and folding it back.
- Dust with only a tablespoon of flour at a time if it sticks badly.
- Shape into a ball.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, slightly tacky and springs back slowly when you press it with a finger.
Tip: Slightly tacky dough gives soft manakish. Too much flour makes them dry.
Let the dough rise
- Rub a clean bowl with a little olive oil, add the dough and turn it once to coat.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for 60 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled and a floured finger leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: A cool kitchen needs up to 90 minutes. Judge by size, not the clock.
Heat oven, prep toppingOven 475°F / 245°C
- Place racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C).
- Toss the diced tomatoes with ¼ tsp salt in a sieve set over a bowl and drain for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Press the drained tomatoes gently with a spoon, then tip them into a bowl with the grated halloumi, 2 tbsp of the mint, 2 tbsp olive oil, black pepper and the nigella seeds.
- Mix lightly.
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Ready when: Very little liquid drips from the tomatoes and the topping looks scattered rather than wet.
Tip: Grate halloumi on the large holes. Fine shreds melt into a greasy layer instead of browning in flecks.
Divide and shape
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 85 g each).
- Roll each into a tight ball on an unfloured surface.
- Cover with a towel and rest for 15 minutes.
- Then roll or pat each ball into a 6-inch (15 cm) round about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Place 4 rounds on each lined baking sheet.
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Ready when: The rounds hold their size without shrinking back when rolled.
Tip: Leave a thin gap between rounds on each tray so they don't fuse as they puff.
Dimple and top
- Press your fingertips firmly all over each round to make dimples, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) rim.
- Spoon about ⅓ cup of topping onto each, spreading it to the dimpled area.
- Brush the rims with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.
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Ready when: Each round is evenly covered inside the rim and the rim is glossy with oil.
Tip: Don't pile the topping thickly. Thick cheese stays pale and weighs the dough down.
Bake the manakishOven 475°F / 245°C
- Put one tray on each rack in the 475°F (245°C) oven.
- Bake for 12 minutes, swapping the trays top to bottom and turning them front to back after 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Rims are golden brown, the dough is puffed, and the halloumi is soft with golden flecks at the edges.
Tip: If the bottoms brown before the tops, move the tray to the upper rack for the last 2 minutes.
Finish and serve
- Slide the manakish onto a wire rack or board and scatter with the remaining 1 tbsp chopped mint.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm.
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Ready when: The topping is no longer bubbling and can be picked up without sliding.
Good to know
Tips
- Seed and drain the tomatoes. Excess liquid is the main cause of soggy centers.
- A hot oven is key. Manakish need strong heat to puff quickly and stay soft inside.
- Serve with sliced cucumber, olives and a squeeze of lemon to cut the richness of the cheese.
- For extra crisp bases, preheat the baking sheets for 10 minutes and slide the parchment with the manakish onto them.
Make ahead
"The dough can be made through step 3, then covered and chilled up to 24 hours. Bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before dividing. Mix the topping up to 2 hours ahead, but add the tomatoes just before topping to avoid wateriness."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 3 hours, loosely covered. Fridge: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped individually. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 6–8 minutes (10–12 minutes from frozen) until the cheese is hot and the base is crisp at the edges."
Substitutions
- halloumi → Mozzarella mixed with a little feta. Use 150 g low-moisture mozzarella plus 75 g crumbled feta. The result is less squeaky, and you may want to skip the dough's salt reduction.
- fresh mint leaves → Fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried mint. Parsley is milder. Dried mint is stronger, so use it only in the topping.
- bread flour (or all-purpose flour) → All-purpose flour. The manakish will be slightly softer and less chewy but still good.
- nigella seeds (or sesame seeds) → Sesame seeds or za'atar. Use 1 tsp. Za'atar adds a herby, sour note.